Fluid mixing apparatus



Oct. 13, .1964 c. H. eooowm FLUID MIXING APPARATUS Filed July 3, 1961 INVENTOR. CHESTER H. GOODWIN ifizcff United States Patent "ice This invention relates to fluid mixing apparatus and more particularly to apparatus for dispersing a pigment in a spinning solution.

It is well known that there are many cases where the success of an operation depends upon the thorough mixing of a viscous fluid used in the operation. In particular, such an operation is the spinning of pigmented filaments. Since the pigment is used to obtain a desired color, it is absolutely necessary that the pigment be thoroughly mixed into or dispersed in the dope or spinning solution from which the filaments are to be spun. If the pigment is not uniformly dispersed in the spinning solution, the colors of the spun filaments may vary from the desired color. With this problem in mind, one of the objects of this invention is to provide a novel and improved mixing apparatus.

Another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus for dispersing a pigment in a fluid.

A further object of this invention is to provide an apparatus having a plurality of fluid passageways interconnecting a plurality of planetary gears driven by a sun gear.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a mixing apparatus wherein a fluid to be mixed is sequentially passed through a plurality of mixing gears.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a gear type mixer wherein a stream of fluid to be mixed is divided into separate parts which are reunited after the separate parts have traveled along mixing paths of different lengths.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus for'mixing a fluid stream in such a manner that fluid at one point in the stream is mixed with fluid at another point longitudinally along the stream.

One embodiment of the invention contemplates a mixer having a plurality of planetary gears driven by a sun gear. A fluid to be mixed is fed into the system at a point where half of the fluid takes a path leading through several mixing units to an outlet, while the rest of the fluid enters the above-described path at a point midway thereon so that: half of the fluid travels through all of the several mixing units and the remainder of the fluid travels through half of the mixing units. Thus, the fluid is not only thoroughly mixed by the gears, but a portion of the fluid is displaced longitudinally along the fluid stream to provide a superior result.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent when the following detailed description is read in conjunction with the drawing, in which FIGURE 1 is a side view of a mixer illustrating the principles of the invention with portions broken away to show the manner in which the mixing gears are supported;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2--2 of FIGURE 1 showing the passageways making up the first half of the mixing path, and

FIGURE 3 is a sectional ,view taken on line 33 of FIGURE 1 showing the fluid passageways making up the second half of the mixing path.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, a drive shaft 11 is shown attached by a key 12 to a sun gear 13 positioned in avcentral opening 14 in a flat center plate 15. The drive shaft 11 is supported by bearings 18 and 19 in first and second side plates 22 and 23, respectively, and is ing units.

3,152,792 Patented Oct. 13, 1964 driven by a motor 20. The flat side plates 22 and 23 fit against the center plate 15. Flat end plates 24 and 25 fit against the side plates 22 and 23, all of the plates being held together by any convenient means (not shown).

The center plate 15 is provided with a plurality of arcuate openings 26 interconnecting the central opening 14. In the arcuate openings 26 are positioned planetary gears 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35 and 36, all of these gears being meshed with the sun gear 13 to form a plurality of mix- The planetary gears 30- 36 are attached to stub shafts 4t; which are rotatably supported in bushings 41 and 42 in the first and second side plates 22 and 23.

The center plate 15 is cut away to form intake chambers 301', 311', 321', 33i, 341', 351' and 36i and discharge chambers 30d, 31d, 32d, 33d, 34d, 35d and 36d, each mixing unit having an intake chamber and a discharge chamber. For example, the planetary gear 30 has associated therewith the intake chamber 301 and the discharge chamber 39d.

The end plate 24 is provided with an inlet port or passageway 45 connected to the intake chamber 301' and an outlet port or passageway 46 connected to the discharge chamber 35d. The fluid to be mixed enters the device through the inlet port 45 and is discharged from the device through the outlet port 4 6.

The first side plate 22. has a plurality of slots 50, 51 and 52 which interconnect at the planetary gears 34 32, 34 and 36 to define a first mixing path. In traversing this first path, the fluid enters the intake chamber 30i from the inlet port 45, and passes around the gear 30 to the discharge chamber 3%. The fluid then flows through the slot 50 to the intake chamber 32i, around the gear 32 to the discharge chamber 32d and then through the slot 51 to the intake chamber 341. The fluid then passes around the gear 34 to the discharge chamber 34d and through the slot 52 to the intake chamber 361' and then around the gear 36 to the discharge chamber 36d. This terminates the first fluid mixing path.

The second side plate 23 is provided with slots 56, 57 and 58 which interconnect the gears 36, 31, 33 and 35 to form a second fluid mixing path. The second fluid path begins at the discharge chamber 36:! and leads through the slot 56 to the intake chamber 31i. The fluid passes around the gear 31 to the discharge chamber 31d, then through the slot 57 to the intake chamber 331 and around the gear 33 to the discharge chamber 33d. The fluid then passes through the slot 57 to the intake chamber 35:, around the gear to the discharge chamber 35d and out through the outlet port 46. This terminates the second fluid mixing path.

Part of the fluid which enters the inlet port 45 will be carried around the gear 30 and along the first mixing path. The remainder of the fluid is carried by the teeth of the sun gear 13 into the discharge chamber 36d of the gear 36. This fluid will join that entering the chamber 36d from the first path and the mixture will travel along the second mixing path. Thus, part of the fluid will travel along the first mixing path and then along the second mixing path, while the rest of the fluid will traverse only the second path. This remainder is thereby displaced longitudinally along the fluid stream. This, in addition to the mixing that takes place in the mixing units, assures that the pigment is thoroughly mixed and dispersed in the spinning solution.

In operation of the device, the spinning solution enters through the inlet port 45, a pigment having been previously added to color the spinning solution. Part of the entering solution is carried by the teeth on the gear 30 into the first mixing path, which includes the gears 30, 32, 34 and 36. The remainder of the entering solution is carried by the teeth on the sun gear 13 into the discharge chamber 36d to traverse the second mixing path,

which includes the gears 31, 33 and 35, to the outlet port 46. This remainder is joined at the discharge chamber 364! by fluid which has passed along the first mixing path. The first path includes alternate planetary gears, with the second path including the gears not included in the first path, i.e., the odd numbered gears are in one path while the even numbered gears are in another path.

This mixing device thoroughly disperses a pigment in a spinning solution, so that the spun filaments will be of a uniform color. Naturally, the device could be used for other mixing operations.

It is to be understood that the embodiment disclosed herein may be modified or amended and that numerous other embodiments can be contemplated which will fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for mixing a fluid, comprising a. plurality of first gearm-ixers, means interconnecting said first gear mixers to form a first fluid mixing path, a plurality of second gear mixers, means interconnecting the second gear mixers to form a second fluid mixing path, means for driving the gear mixers, means defining a fluid inlet leading to an intake end of the first mixing path, means defining a fluid outlet leading from a discharge end of the second mixing path, means forming a fluid passageway leading from a discharge end of the first mixing path to an intake end of the second path, and means forming a passageway leading from the intake end of the first mixing path to the intake end of the second path so that part of the fiuid traverses the first and second mixing paths in sequence and the remainder of the fluid traverses only the second mixing paths.

2. An apparatus for mixing a fluid, comprising a sun gear, a plurality of planetary gears positioned around the sun gear and meshed therewith to form a plurality of mixing units, a housing enclosing the gears, said housing having a first plurality of passageways interconnecting alternate mixing units to form a first mixing path, said housing also having a second plurality of passageways interconnecting the remaining mixing units to form a second mixing path connected to the discharge end of the first path, said housing having an inlet leading to the intake end of the first path and an outlet leading from the discharge end of the second path, said apparatus also having a passageway leading from said intake end of the first path to the intake end of the second path so that a portion of the fluid from the inlet flows into the first path and the remainder flows directly into the intake end of the second path.

3. An apparatus for mixing a fluid, comprising a center plate having therein a central opening intersected by a plurality of arcuate openings spaced around the central opening, a sun gear positioned in said central opening, a plurality of planetary gears positioned in said arcuate openings and meshed with the sun gear to form a plurality of mixing units, means for driving the sun gear to operate said mixing units, a first side plate mounted against one side of the center plate and having therein a plurality of passageways interconnecting alternate mixing units to form a first mixing path, said first side plate also having an inlet leading to the intake end of said first mixing path, and a second side plate mounted against the other side of the center plate and having a plurality of passageways interconnecting the remaining mixing units to form a second mixing path having its intake end connected to the discharge end of the first mixing path, said first side plate having an outlet leading from the discharge end of the second mixing path, said first mixing path having the intake end thereof connected to the intake end of the second mixing path so that part of a fluid entering said inlet traverses the first and second paths in sequence and the remainder of the fluid traverses only the second path.

4. An apparatus for mixing a fluid, comprising a center plate having a central opening intersected by a plurality of arcuate openings spaced around the central opening, a sun gear rotatably mounted in the central opening, a plurality of planetary gears rotatably mounted in the arcuate openings and meshed with the sun gear to form a plurality of mixing units, said center plate being recessed at each mixing unit to provide each said mixing unit with an intake chamber and a discharge chamber, a first side plate mounted against one side of the center plate and having therein a plurality of passageways each of which leads from the discharge chamber of one of the mixing units to the intake chamber of another of the mixing units to form a first mixing path, said first mixing path including alternate planetary gears, a second side plate mounted against the other side of the center plate and having therein a plurality of passageways each of which leads from the discharge chamber of one of the mixing units to the intake chamber of another of the mixing units to form a second mixing path, said second mixing path including the planetary gears not included in the first mixing path, said first side plate having an inlet leading to the intake end of the first mixing path and an outlet leading from the discharge end of the second mixing path, and means for driving the mixing units, said second plate having therein a slot leading from the discharge end of the first path to the intake end of the second path, said intake ends being positioned adjacent to each other in such a manner that fluid entering the intake end of the first path is carried by the teeth of the sun gear to the intake end of the second path so that part of the fluid flows through the first and second paths in sequence and the remainder of the fluid flows through only the second path.

References (Jited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,081,850 Darby et al May 25, 1937 

1. AN APPARATUS FOR MIXING A FLUID, COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF FIRST GEAR MIXERS, MEANS INTERCONNECTING SAID FIRST GEAR MIXERS TO FORM A FIRST FLUID MIXING PATH, A PLURALITY OF SECOND GEAR MIXERS, MEANS INTERCONNECTING THE SECOND GEAR MIXERS TO FORM A SECOND FLUID MIXING PATH, MEANS FOR DRIVING THE GEAR MIXERS, MEANS DEFINING A FLUID INLET LEADING TO AN INTAKE END OF THE FIRST MIXING PATH, MEANS DEFINING A FLUID OUTLET LEADING FROM A DISCHARGE END OF THE SECOND MIXING PATH, MEANS FORMING A FLUID PASSAGEWAY LEADING FROM A DISCHARGE END OF THE FIRST MIXING PATH TO AN INTAKE END OF THE SECOND PATH, AND MEANS FORMING A PASSAGEWAY LEADING FROM THE INTAKE END OF THE FIRST MIXING PATH TO THE INTAKE END OF THE SECOND PATH SO THAT PART OF THE FLUID TRANSVERSES THE FIRST AND SECOND MIXING PATHS IN SEQUENCE AND THE REMAINDER OF THE FLUID TRANSVERSE ONLY THE SECOND MIXING PATHS. 